Announcements

The Inland Northwest Section of the American Chemical Society has announced the names of four outstanding high school chemistry students. The students took a national exam that may qualify them to become members of the U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad team that will compete in the 46th International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) in Hanoi, Vietnam, July 20 – 29, 2014.

The students are:

Dana Flerchinger, Gonzaga Preparatory School

Maloney Foster, Gonzaga Preparatory School

Jessica Oien, Joel E. Ferris High School

Pingbo Zhou, Joel E. Ferris High School

The IChO involves a series of theoretical exams, laboratory exercises, and other activities aimed at identifying the best chemistry students from participating nations around the world. The U.S. has participated in this event since 1984. In 2013, the U.S. team won two gold and two silver medals. A total of 291 students represented 73 countries at the 45th IChO, in Moscow, Russia.

The four local nominees are among over 1,200 nationwide that took a national qualifying exam in April 2014 to select finalists. Gonzaga Preparatory School sponsored the administration of the test. Twenty students will be identified and will undergo intensive training June 3 – 18 at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado. The top four will be chosen to represent the U.S. in the 46th IChO competition.

Founded in 1876 and chartered by Congress, the American Chemical Society is a nonprofit scientific and educational organization dedicated to the advancement of chemistry in the public interest. The Inland Northwest Section is one of 187 across the nation serving more than 160,000 members.